Angle adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike

ABSTRACT

An angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike includes an adjusting button for actuating a pushing unit on the shaft of a resisting wheel to rotate. A coupled rotary sleeve fitted in the pushing unit and restricted to shift axially has its inner wall fixed with an offset-angled projecting member. A main gear unit fitted on the shaft by a bearing has a sleeve having one end inserted in the coupled rotary sleeve and bored with an oblique recess for the offset-angled projecting member to engage with and a main bevel gear having its toothed side facing the resisting wheel. The wind-resisting plates have their shafts respectively provided with an auxiliary bevel gear engaged with the main bevel gear. The angles of the wind-resisting plates can be adjusted by pulling the adjusting button.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike, particularly to one able to adjust the angles and the resistance value of the wind-resisting plates on the resisting wheel of a stationary bike anytime to meet needs of training.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A stationary bike is generally provided with a resisting wheel to offer a resistance value so that when a user pedals the stationary bike, there will produce a pedaling resistance so as to achieve effects of exercise and training. Some conventional stationary bikes respectively have the resisting wheel installed with a brake horseshoe on the wheel rim to produce resistance for the resisting wheel, others respectively have the resisting wheel fixed with an electromagnetic device (commonly known as ECB) on the wheel rim for producing action of magnetic resistance on the resisting wheel and still the others respectively have the resisting wheel provided with wind-resisting plates able to be adjusted and positioned at different angles to form different-sized wind resisting areas for adjusting resistance value. However, the brake horseshoe will gradually become worn off and have to be eliminated and replaced with a new one after used for a certain period of time, and the resistance produced by the electromagnetic device can only permit a user to pedal the stationary bike at low speeds to attain low torsional force (low resistance), but cannot achieve high torsional force (high resistance), thus restricting a stationary bike in use. As for the conventional stationary bike provided with the wind-resisting plates, it is without defects mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the invention is to offer an angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike, able to adjust the angles of the wind-resisting plates anytime according to the requirements of exercise and training.

The angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike in the present invention includes an adjusting button, a pushing unit, a coupled rotary sleeve and a main gear unit. The adjusting button can be pulled to actuate the pushing unit fitted on the shaft of the resisting wheel to rotate. The coupled rotary sleeve positioned in the pushing unit and restricted only to shift axially has its hollow inner wall formed diametrically with an offset-angled projecting member. The main gear unit is fitted on the shaft of the resisting wheel by a bearing and formed with a sleeve having one end inserted in the coupled rotary sleeve. The sleeve of the main gear unit has its outer wall bored with an oblique recess for the offset-angled projecting member to engage with and is provided with a main bevel gear having its toothed side facing the resisting wheel. The wind-resisting plates have their shafts respectively provided with an auxiliary bevel gear engaged with the main bevel gear of the sleeve. The adjusting button can be pulled for an angle to actuate the pushing unit to rotate and shift forward to drive the coupled rotary sleeve to shift axially and synchronously the offset-angled projecting member of the coupled rotary sleeve will push the sleeve of the main gear unit to rotate obliquely and the main bevel gear will drive the auxiliary bevel gear of the shaft of each wind-resisting plate to rotate and change the angles of the wind-resisting plates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike, having the wind-resisting plates adjusted to an angle of zero degree in the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike, having the wind-resisting plates adjusted to an angle of 45 degrees in the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike, having the wind-resisting plates adjusted to an angle of 90 degrees in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of an angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike in the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a resisting wheel 1 and a wind-resisting plate angle-resisting device 2 combined together.

The resisting wheel 1 has its shaft 10 secured on a bike frame and provided with a fixed wheel 11, which is fixed with a drum wheel 70 and connected with a chain wheel 12 able to be actuated to rotate together with a pedal.

The wind-resisting plate angle adjusting device 2 is assembled on the shaft 10 at one end of the resisting wheel 1, composed of a pushing unit 20, a coupled rotary sleeve 30, a main gear unit 40, a plurality of wind-resisting plates 50, an adjusting button 60 and a drum wheel 70.

The pushing unit 20 consists of an outer pushing wheel 21 and an inner pushing wheel 22. The outer pushing wheel 21 with a hollow interior has one end fixed with a pulley 210 and the other end formed with an opening. The outer pushing wheel 21 is fitted on the shaft 10 of the resisting wheel 1 and has its inner wall fixed with a coupled guide wheel 211. The inner pushing wheel 22 is fitted in the outer pushing wheel 21, and has one end formed with an opening and its outer edge bored with an axial engage recess 220 for receiving the coupled guide wheel 211 of the outer pushing wheel 21. Thus, the inner and the outer pushing wheel 22, 21 can be driven to rotate together for an angle. Further, the inner pushing wheel 22 is provided with a conical projection 221 extending outward to engage with the threads 101 at the outer circumference of the shaft 10 of the resisting wheel 1 and orderly rotated and shifted forward along the threads 101, as shown in FIG. 2.

The coupled rotary sleeve 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is fitted in the inner pushing wheel 22 from its opening and has its outer wall pushing against the inner wall of the inner pushing wheel 22 for shifting axially together. The coupled rotary sleeve 30 has its thick wall bored with two axial insert holes 31, having a bearing 32 disposed between the insert holes 31 and the outer wall, and an offset-angled projecting member 33 diametrically fixed in the hollow inner wall.

The main gear unit 40, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is positioned near the center of the resisting wheel 1 and connected with the shaft 10 by a bearing 41. The main gear unit 40 consists of a sleeve 42 and a main bevel gear 43. The sleeve 2 has one end inserted in the coupled rotary sleeve 30 and has its outer wall bored with an oblique recess 420 at a location matching with the offset-angled projecting member 33 of the coupled rotary sleeve 30 for the offset-angled projecting member 33 to engage with to let the sleeve 42 actuated to turn obliquely when the offset-angled projecting member 33 is shifted forward axially. The main bevel gear 43 is fixed with the sleeve 42, having its toothed side facing the center of the resisting wheel 1.

The wind-resisting plates 50 arranged radially are respectively formed with a driven shaft 51 pivotally combined with the resisting wheel 1. The driven shaft 51 of each wind-resisting plate 50 has its inner end fixed with an auxiliary bevel gear 52 engaged with the main bevel gear 43 so that the auxiliary bevel gear 52 of each wind-resisting plate 50 can be driven by the main bevel gear 43 to rotate for an angle and change the wind-resisting area of the wind-resisting plates 50.

The adjusting button 60 is secured on the handle of a stationary bike and connected with a pulley 62 by a steel wire 61. The pulley 62 is connected by a synchronous belt 63 with the pulley 210 fitted on one end of the outer pushing wheel 21 on the shaft 10 of the resisting wheel 1.

The drum wheel 70 fixed at the outer side of the center of the resisting wheel 1 has its outer end formed axially with two limiting rods 71 extending forward and respectively inserted in the two axial insert holes 31 of the coupled rotary sleeve 30 after the coupled rotary sleeve 30 is fixed in position. Thus, when driven by the pushing unit 20, the coupled rotary sleeve 30 can only shift axially.

In using, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the wind-resisting plates 50 can be adjusted to position at three different angles (1) at an angle of zero degree (2) as shown in FIG. 2, at an angle of 45 degrees as shown in FIG. 3, and (3) at an angle of 90 degrees as shown in FIG. 4 (the wind-resisting plates 50 perpendicular to the edge of the resisting wheel 1). The three angle-adjusting conditions of the wind-resisting plates 50 are described as follows.

1. When the wind-resisting plates 50 is positioned at an angle of zero degree, just leave the adjusting button 60 untouched. At this time, the wind-resisting plates 50 are in alignment with the edge of the resisting wheel 1 and the stationary bike is free from any resistance.

2. To adjust the wind resisting angles of the wind-resisting plates 50, only pull the adjusting button 60 to actuate the pulley 62 of the outer pushing wheel 21 to rotate together, and synchronously the pulley 210 of the outer pushing wheel 21 will actuate the inner pushing wheel 22 to rotate for an angle and have its conical projection 221 shift and rotate axially along the threads 101 of the shaft 10 of the resisting wheel 1. When the coupled rotary sleeve 30 positioned in the inner pushing wheel 22 is actuated to shift, the coupled rotary sleeve 30, which is provided with the bearing 32 and has its axial insert holes 31 inserted by the limiting rods 71 of the drum wheel 70, can only be actuated to shift forward axially. Since the offset-angled projecting member 33 of the coupled rotary sleeve 30 is engaged with the oblique recess 420 of the sleeve 42 of the main gear unit 40; therefore, its offset-angled projecting member 33 will actuate the sleeve 42 to rotate obliquely when the coupled rotary sleeve 30 is shifted axially. Simultaneously, the sleeve 42 having its inner end fixed with the main bevel gear 43 will actuate the main bevel gear 43 and the auxiliary bevel gears 52 of the wind-resisting plates. 50 to rotate together for adjusting the angle of wind resisting sides of the wind-resisting plates 50.

According to the design of this invention, when the offset-angled projecting member 33 is shifted to half of the oblique recess 420 of the sleeve 42, the wind resisting sides of the wind-resisting plates 50 will be turned bias and positioned at the angle of 45 degrees, as shown in FIG. 3. When the offset-angled projecting member 33 is shifted to the farthest end of the oblique recess 420, the wind resisting sides of the wind-resisting plates 50 will be turned for the angle of 90 degrees to cross the edge of the resisting wheel 1, as shown in FIG. 4. By so designing, the angles of wind resisting sides of the wind-resisting plates 50 can surely be adjusted for regulating the resistance value of the resisting wheel 1.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. An angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike, said angle-adjusting device comprising: a pushing unit fitted on the shaft of a resisting wheel, said pushing unit driven by an outside adjusting button to rotate and shift axially along said shaft of said resisting wheel; a coupled rotary sleeve fitted in said pushing unit, said coupled rotary sleeve actuated by said pushing unit to shift forward, said coupled rotary sleeve having its interior installed with a bearing and its thick wall bored with two axial insert holes, said two axial insert holes respectively inserted by two limiting rods of a drum wheel for restricting said coupled rotary sleeve only to shift axially, said coupled rotary sleeve having its hollow inner wall fixed diametrically with an offset-angled projecting member; a main gear unit positioned beside said pushing unit and said coupled rotary sleeve and abutting the center of said resisting wheel, said main gear unit formed with a sleeve having one end inserted in said coupled rotary sleeve, said sleeve of said main gear unit having its outer wall bored with an oblique recess for said offset-angled projecting member to engage with, said sleeve pushed by said coupled rotary sleeve to turn obliquely when said coupled rotary sleeve is moved axially, said sleeve fixed with a main bevel gear at the end abutting the center of said resisting wheel; and A plurality of wind-resisting plates arranged radially and pivotally assembled on the surface of said resisting wheel, each said wind-resisting plate having its driven shaft fixed with an auxiliary bevel gear engaged with said main bevel gear of said sleeve, said main bevel gear of said sleeve rotated for an angle to drive said auxiliary bevel gear and said wind-resisting plates to turn together and adjust the angles of the wind resisting sides of said wind-resisting plates.
 2. The angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pushing unit is composed of an outer pushing wheel and an inner pushing wheel fitted in said outer pushing wheel, said outer pushing wheel having its inner wall fixed with a coupled guide wheel, said inner pushing wheel having its outer wall cut with an axial engage recess for said coupled guide wheel to engage with to enable said two pushing wheels to rotate together, said inner pushing wheel having its inner wall formed with a conical projection extending toward said shaft of said resisting wheel, said shaft of said resisting wheel having a portion formed with threaded recesses for said conical projection of said inner pushing wheel to engage with, said pushing unit driven to rotate and shift axially along said shaft of said resisting wheel.
 3. The angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adjusting button is connected with a pulley by a steel wire, said pulley connected with the pulley on the outer end of said outer pushing wheel by a synchronous pulley, said adjusting button pulled to drive said pushing unit to rotate.
 4. The angle-adjusting device for the wind-resisting plates of the resisting wheel of a stationary bike as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drum wheel is fixedly positioned at the outer side of the center of said resisting wheel and provided with said two limiting rods respectively inserted in said two axial insert holes of said coupled rotary sleeve for restricting said coupled rotary sleeve only to shift axially. 